NPP MP for Zebilla spent about GH¢900k in vote buying - Defeated aspirant alleges

A failed parliamentary aspirant in the New Patriotic Party primary in Zebilla, Dr. John Kingsley Krugu, has accused the incumbent Member of Parliament, Frank Fuseini Adongo, of vote-buying.

Dr Krugu polled 280 votes to trail behind Mr Adongo who secured 323 votes to book a ticket in the 2020 parliamentary election in December 2020.

His decision to contest the primary, he explained, was fully influenced by the delegates who approached him to challenge the incumbent, and also went ahead to contribute to pay for his filing fee.

As such, he claimed that but for the money that was used to influence the delegates just a few hours to the primary, he would have won the contest by at least 70 to 80 percent as projected by his research team prior to the Saturday exercise.

According to him, Mr Adongo handed to each delegate between GH¢1,000 and GH¢1,500 Friday night to coerce them to give him another chance to represent the party in the constituency in the upcoming general election.

In total, he said the incumbent MP spend close to GH¢900,000 in vote buying.

That, Dr Krugu said, changed the voters’ mind to vote for his opponent.

He recalled how he had to step in to resuscitate the party from collapsing in the constituency, claiming members of the party were reluctant in taking up positions as polling station executives and electoral area coordinators.

Dr Krugu said it took him and his team to oil the party machinery.

Meanwhile, he said he has put all that happened behind him and called for unity and forgiveness within the rank and file of the party in the area to retain the seat for the NPP.